Wireless media player

• US 20050071375A1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Avago Technologies General IP PTE Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rambo, Darwin, Houghton, Phil, Unger, Ken
• Application Number:
  US10/675,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20050071375A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57

Abstract

A system and a method for wireless playing media files utilizing a central server, in which a database of media files is stored, is described. The system includes a base-station connected to the server, a set of media clients that can be placed in different locations within the service area of the base-stations. The media clients can wirelessly connect to the server via the base-station to access the media files database and download media files, decode and play the media files. The media clients can be connected to devices capable of outputting the media files decoded and played by the media clients. The media clients can be also incorporated into mobile devices and cars, such that a user can download media files from the server and be able to display them at a location remote from the server and the service area of the base-station.

Claims

1. A system for wirelessly playing media files, the system comprising:

a central server having a memory for storing the media files;

a station connected to the central server;

at least one client, the client capable of accessing and downloading the media files by wirelessly communicating with the server via the station from a plurality of remote locations from the station and the server; and

a plurality of devices capable of outputting the media files, wherein the client connects to the devices.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the client comprises:

a wireless transceiver;

a processing unit running an operating system;

a display; and

a decoder that decodes the downloaded media files.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the client further comprises a player that plays the decoded media files.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the client outputs the media file in analog format to a device capable of outputting analog media files.

5. The system according to claim 3 wherein the client outputs the media file in digital format to a device capable of outputting digital media files.

6. The system according to claim 2 wherein the client is capable of accessing, downloading and decoding portions of a media file.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the client accesses and downloads the next portion of the media file while playing the previously downloaded and decoded portion of the media file.

8. The system according to claim 2 wherein the client is battery-operated.

9. The system according to claim 2 wherein the client utilizes a charging cradle plugged into a power source.

10. The system according to claim 2 wherein the client is built within a mobile device.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the mobile device includes a memory where downloaded media files are stored.

12. The system according to claim 2 wherein the client is in a car.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the car includes a memory where downloaded media files are stored.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein the client is capable of automatically accessing and downloading the media files on the server when the car is within communicating distance from the station.

15. The system according to claim 1 wherein the server is connected to the Internet.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the client is capable of accessing, downloading, decoding, and playing streaming data from the Internet.

17. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system comprises at least a second server.

18. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system comprises at least a second station.

19. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system comprises at least a second client.

20. A method for wirelessly playing media files in a system comprising a server where media files reside, a station connected to the server, and at least one client capable of accessing and downloading the media files, the client further wirelessly connected to the server via the station, the client having a transceiver, an operating system, a display, and a media files decoder, the method comprising:

accessing and downloading a media file from the server, by the client wirelessly via the station;

decoding the downloaded media file;

playing the decoded media file utilizing a player on the client; and

connecting the client output to an input of a device capable of outputting the media file.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein accessing and downloading the media file comprises accessing and downloading portions of the media file.

22. The method according to claim 21 further comprising:

decoding the downloaded portion of the media file;

playing the decoded portion of the media file; and

accessing and downloading a next portion of the media file while the previous portions is being decoded and played.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the client is built in a mobile device.

24. The method according to claim 23 wherein the mobile device comprises a memory for storing downloaded media files.

25. The method according to claim 20 wherein the client is in a car, the car having a memory for saving downloaded media files.

26. The method according to claim 25 further comprising:

automatically accessing the media files on the server by the client in the car, when the car comes inside the area covered by the wireless network of the station;

comparing the media files stored in the memory of the server with a list of media files stored in the memory in the car;

downloading any media files in the server that are not in the memory in the car, if the memory in the car has sufficient storage space; and

removing media files in the memory in the car, then downloading media files in the server that are not in the memory in the car, if the memory in the car does not have sufficient storage space for more media files.

27. The method according to claim 20 wherein the server is connected to the Internet.

28. The method according to claim 27 further comprising:

accessing the Internet by the client, through the server and via the station; and

accessing media files from the Internet as a digital bit-stream.